The common view is that there were three debates this year between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. But what about the bonus debate last night at the Al Smith Dinner in New York? It was probably Trump’s greatest performance. Funny, self-deprecating (within reason), and devilishly biting (in the best Johnny Carson roast tradition, which apparently is lost on all the usual suspects who afterward shrieked that Trump had gone too far again; but what else can you expect from a holy man like David Gergen?). And Donald brought the best out of Hillary, if such a thing is possible. One or two of her joke lines were even funny, though nothing approached Donald’s big score when he had her saying, “Pardon me”! Even she laughed, as did the entire, mostly Democrat room. In their hearts they all know she’s guilty.

Here’s the transcript to Trump’s remarks. It’s easily the best speech he’s delivered, and a reminder of how most everyone of his haters willfully ignores Trump’s humorous side. I even heard some commenters complaining about his description of himself as the son of a carpenter. Although the Washington Post’s resident scold Aaron Blake ignored it in his evaluations, he did go after Trump for the following (the italicized comment is his), which he included it among “The Bad” jokes of the evening:

“Everyone knows, of course, Hillary’s belief that, ‘It takes a village,’ which only makes sense, after all, in places like Haiti, where she’s taken a number of them.” (This is about human suffering.)

No, Aaron. It’s about Hillary exploiting the suffering of Haitians to line the pockets of her Foundation backers and cronies (and probably her brothers). Is that so hard to understand?

In another time, Donald Trump would be compared to Will Rogers.

One more telling thing: in all the attacks on him for his Al Smith performance, no one has mentioned his most pointed moment, early on in his remarks:

Thank you Al. Wow. That was good. Mm. This is a helluva dinner. Well, I want to thank Your Eminence. This is really great to be with you again. Beloved Governor Cuomo, our great senators. Hi Chuck [Schumer]. He used to love me when I was a Democrat, you know.…

And a special hello to all of you in this room who have known and loved me for many, many years. It’s true.

The politicians. They’ve had me to their homes, they’ve introduced me to their children, I’ve become their best friends in many instances. They’ve asked for my endorsement and they always wanted my money. And even called me really a dear, dear friend. But then suddenly, decided when I ran for president as a Republican, that I’ve always been a no-good, rotten, disgusting scoundrel. And they totally forgot about me.

But that’s OK.…

Wow, who’d have thunk it? A whimsical Donald Trump, and, as usual, very much on target.